‘I was just going to suggest the same thing,’ Humlin said. ‘That you as Leyla’s father participate in the interview with us.’
Leyla’s father looked unsure for a moment.
‘And what would I say?’
‘That you are proud of your daughter.’
Leyla’s father thought about this.
‘What exactly am I proud of?’
‘That she wants to learn to write, that she wants to be a serious writer.’
He shook his head.
‘I don’t care what she does. The most important thing is that she doesn’t lie to her family.’
Leyla looked pleadingly at her father.
‘Dad, I want to be a soap star or a TV personality — if I don’t make it as a writer, that is. This might be my only chance.’
‘I also want to be interviewed.’
Everyone looked at Haiman who had made the last comment. Humlin was starting to feel tired.
‘There isn’t time for everyone to be interviewed.’
‘I have much to say of great importance for the Swedish people.’
‘I don’t doubt that, Haiman, but this is hardly the right time and place to air your views.’
‘I will not participate if he does,’ Leyla’s father said.
Humlin looked at the people around him. The main subjects of the conflict were still seated and following the discussion with sombre faces.
‘TV programmes like this are often very short,’ Humlin started carefully. ‘If everyone is to have a say it will take far too long for the slot they have in mind for us.’
‘Then we leave and Leyla will not be able to continue her participation here,’ Leyla’s father said firmly. ‘She cannot be left on her own. After a few times here she has started lying to us. She has never done that before.’
Leyla drew a deep breath.
‘You’re right, Dad. I didn’t go to the hospital. I don’t know why I said that. I went to the library in the city centre. I started reading and forgot all about time. I was there to study so that I can do better in school. And to read books by good authors so that I will learn to write better.’
Leyla’s father regarded her in silence.
‘What did you read?’ he asked finally.
‘I found a book about rugby.’
‘There are books about rugby? What am I supposed to think? Is she lying to me again?’
Haiman got up. Humlin was starting to realise that Leyla was craftier than he had expected.
‘There are great books about rugby,’ Haiman said. ‘She is speaking the truth. This initiative to go to the library is something a father should encourage.’
An appreciative murmur was heard from the audience, mainly people from Leyla’s large family who had not said anything until now. Her father now turned to them and threw out a question that raised a heated debate. The voices died down after a while.
‘We have decided,’ he said. ‘I will stay here and be interviewed by the TV people. We accept for now that Leyla continues the course.’
As Leyla’s many family members filed out of the room Humlin thought that he had just won his first fight in Törnblom’s boxing club. Leyla’s relief was palpable. She sank down on her chair and Tanya squeezed her hand. To Humlin’s surprise Törnblom grabbed a towel and waved it at Leyla as if she were a boxer waiting between rounds.
Naturally the TV crew never turned up. After an hour Törnblom pretended to call them and then declared that there had been a mix-up with the day. Leyla’s father looked put out but Humlin hastened to tell him that the delay would simply enable him to prepare his statements more carefully. Then he turned back to his students.
‘Write down your stories,’ Humlin said. ‘Write what you have told us today — everything. A story without an end is not a good piece of work.’
He saw that Leyla understood.
It was snowing when they came back out on the street. Leyla disappeared with her family, Tanya whispered something after them that Humlin didn’t hear. Törnblom locked the door and Tea-Bag ran around in circles making patterns in the wet snow. Tanya pulled her cap on.
‘Are you still in the Yüksel family’s apartment?’ Humlin asked.
‘No, they’re back.’
‘Where are you living now?’
Tanya shrugged her shoulders.
‘Maybe in this empty apartment on the other side of the square. Maybe somewhere else. I haven’t decided yet.’
Humlin had been meaning to talk to her about the little girl in the photograph, but it was as if she knew what he was thinking. Before he could say anything, she put her arm around Tea-Bag and the two of them left. He watched them walk away and wondered what he was really looking at.
Törnblom drove him to the station.
‘It’s going great,’ he said. ‘You should feel good about it.’
‘No,’ Humlin said. ‘It’s not going well. I have this constant feeling that I’m on the brink of an enormous disaster.’
‘Now you’re exaggerating again.’
Humlin didn’t bother to reply.
